Gate-latch



UNiTnD STATES VILLIAM ELUARTYLER, OF A'LDIE, VIRGINIA.

GATE-LATCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No` 448,755, dated March2.4, 1891.

Application iiled J' une S0, 1890, Serial No. 357,277. (No model.)

T0 au 'whom it may concern: i

Be it known that I, WILLIAM ELMAR TYLER, a resident of Aldie, in thecounty of Loudoun and State of Virginia, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Gate- Latches; and I do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains tomake and use the same.

The object ofthe invention is to provide a latch suitable for gates, andparticularly for 'farm-gates, and which can be conveniently openedeither by a person on horseback or by a footman, which latch shall beapplicable to gates whether they shut against one side or the other ofthe gate-post, as well as to those` that shut by the post; and theinvention consists in the construction hereinafter set forth andparticularly pointed out.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of the latchapplied to the upright bar of the gate. Fig. 2 is a side elevation ofthe same and of a post, and Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the latchapplied to the side of the upright and post.

Numeral 1 denotes the outer upright or. bar of a gate, and 2 a post.

et indicates a stop bar or detent movably supported against the verticalgate-bar 1 by means of the headed pins, screws, or bolts 5, secured inthe upright and passing through slots 6 in the detent-bar. A bent lever7 is pivoted at 8 to the upright bar 1 and at 9 to the detent-bar. Thelever 7 is conveniently made fork-shaped to embracethe gate-bar, andalso to receive the detent-bar at, as shown, though the fork form is notessential. The parts are so connected and pivoted that the detent dropsby gravity, the lever 7 assuming the position shown in Fig. 2. To raisethe de tent it is only necessary to move lever 7 to the position shownin full lines in Fig. 2. This can easily be done by grasping the leverwith one hand, which can be conveniently done in the case of high gatesby a horseman, or said detent can be raised by using a handle 11,provided for the use of footmen.

A latch is denoted by l2. It is pivoted at 13 to the gate.

14E 14 are stops which limit the movements ot the latch about its pivot,and in practice opening in either direction.

they are made to extend through the latch to adapt it to be applied toeither side of the gate-bar or to a gate opening in either direction.

15 is a ratchet provided on the periphery Vof the latch to receive thedetent 4, and 1G a notch or slot to receive a pin or staple 17, securedto the gate-post. This slot is iiared or widened at its outer end toadapt it more certainly to engage the pin or staple. The latch havingthe slot 16 and notches 15 cut in one side will be lighter on that side,and when free to move will automatically turn Vto the operative positionshown in Fig. 1.

In operation when the gate is swung to close it (the detent-bar beingraised) the wall of slot 1G of the latch strikes against the pin orstaple 17, and the latch is turned thereby until a pin la engages thegate, and thereupon the lever 7 or handle l1,` as the case may be, beingreleased the detent automatically drops and engages one of the teeth ofthe ratchet on the latch and holds it against a backward movement.

To open the gate itV is only necessary to raise the detent and push orpull the gate, ac cording to the side upon which the operator may chanceto be. This movement carries the side of the slot 1G against pin 17 andcauses the latch to revolve, so that it oilters no obstruction to theopening of the gate. Should the latch not be turned sufficiently inclosing the gate to bring the detent over the last notch in the ratchet,one of the other teeth will be certainly engaged and prevent the openingof the gate until the detent is raised.

My improved device is applicable to all kinds ot gates and can be placedon gates Prior latches of the same general character as mine have notbeen capable of such application, and, furtl1ermore,they have made useof springs and have required the provision of brackets and other deviceswhereby to attach them er render them operative. The latch and otheradjuncts can be conveniently made of cast metal, though the improvementis not limited to any particular material nor to the precise form andarrangement illustrated, as these can be varied by mechanics withoutdeparting from the invention, provided substantially the sameconstruction and operation are preserved.

IOO

l deem of importance features of construction which adapt the latch tobe applied at will to gates Whether they open in one direction or theother, and which adapt it to be operated conveniently by persons Walkingor riding, these advantages being secured in connection with greatsimplicity of structure and with certainty and security of action.

It should be noted that the above-described latch is pivotcd at one Sideof the center of gravity, so that when released from the detent and fromthe pin on the post it will automatically revolve on its pivot to bringit in position to engage the pin when the gate is moved to close thesalue. As before stated, the pin at such time causes the latch to turn,and the latter is held in its position thus taken by the detent. Thestops located substantially as' shown limit the rotation of the latch ineither direction. They are extended through the latch by preference, andthus are ren dered operative which ever side of the latch is applied toa gate. This feature, in connection with others, adapts the device foruse bctween the gate-post and gate Whether the latter is hinged at oneend or the other, and also for application on either side of a gate, and

-for this purpose no change of the construetion is required.

Having thus described my invention, what lr desire to secure by LettersyPatent isl. The combination of the slotted gravitating detent7 thesupporting-pins passing through the slots, the bent lever pivoted tosaid detent and to a gate, and the latch provided with a ratchet andwith a radial slot adapted to engage a pin and having a stop to limitthe rotation of thelateh, substantially asset forth.

A gate-latch pivoted at one side of its center of gravity and providedwith a ratchet and with a radial slot, the side to the rear of theratchet and slot being the heaviest, and having a laterally-extendingstop adapted to engage the gatepost,\vhereby the latch when free to moveon its pivot automatically turns to and is stopped at a predeterminedposition, in combination with a detent and with a latch-engaging pinsecured to a post in the path of the latch and on a level with the mouth ot' the slot, substantially as set forth.

3. rlhe combination of the pivoted gravitating latch having a ratchet'and pin-engaging slot with the gravitatng detent and with stopsextending through the latch, whereby either side of the latter isadapted to be applied to a gate, and whereby in either situ ation thelatch is stopped in two directions, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence oftwo subscribing Witnesses.

WILTAM ELAR TYLER.

Witnesses:

I. F. Iniuvxnn, WM. N. XVIsn.

